


Bloodlines

by shadow_oblivion



Series: Priest Black Hat AU [4]
Category: Villainous (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Blackmail, Blood and Torture, Eggpreg, Kissing, M/M, Mutilation, Silkbag - Freeform, Slug is baffled by this, Smut, basically white hat will have one, half-human Slug, is that a thing?, priest Black Hat au, soul guardians are not what they seem, white hat is a good demon who is clueless
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-24
Updated: 2018-10-24
Packaged: 2019-07-17 22:15:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16104917
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shadow_oblivion/pseuds/shadow_oblivion
Summary: Slug knew that he shouldn’t have gotten involved with a demon but after years of White Hat being the only constant in his life, Slug finally gave in. Unfortunately, Slug’s past has caught up with him and to make matters further stressful, White Hat mentions an egg right before everything goes to hell.





	Bloodlines

**Author's Note:**

> Some of you wanted more of White Hat and Slug, so here it is. This is further along the timeline of the au, with hints to one shots that I have yet to post.

A moment of weakeness. A loss of control and awareness of his surroundings. Screaming and the scent of blood in the air.

Pain.

Confusion.

Further agony as he was subdued in an oddly gentle way, so that he couldn’t harm himself further.

A loud voice in the background demanding that Slug be dealt with.

Slug welcomed the darkness as he lost consciousness.

-x-x-x-

Slug woke with a harsh gasp of air as his body tried to curl in on itself, as if he anticipated being attacked.

Not out of the question, as Black Hat had gotten into his personal space as if to attack right before Slug had blacked out.

Disoriented but realizing that he was not under attack, Slug tried to unfurl his body. He needed to figure out where he was. For one unnerving moment, as Slug lie still, he wondered if his Soul Guardian half was going to make him attack himself again.

Nothing happened.

Slug was himself, his mind his own.

There were currently no blank spots in his memory apart from knowing there was a space between now and when Black Hat had triggered his Guardian half, which had caused him to start digging his sharp nails into his arms and body, and then...nothing.  Slug remembered nothing until White Hat found him, and even then, it had only been awareness of agony before he had passed it in the demon’s arms.

Slug gave his surroundings a once over and realized with a jolt that this wasn’t the first time he had woken up. He remembered White Hat’s calming voice speaking to him, when Slug had first been brought home to the mansion, with healing spells being cast on him.

_‘Slug, you are all right now. You are safe in the mansion. Safe. Please, relax. Do not jostle your wounds needlessly.’_

White Hat...

With some difficulty, Slug managed to force his body fully out of a curl, as if White Hat were in the room with him, and opened his eyes.

Memories began to tumble back the longer Slug remained awake. Confirmation in his mind that he had injured himself badly by the time White Hat came to Black Hat’s sham of a church to retrieve him. He’d gone into the basement, where Slug had left a trail of blood. At least, Slug believed he must have left one. When he briefly came to in White Hat’s arms, he hadn’t been in the same room as where Black Hat had threatened him.

And Black Hat hadn’t been around, because even Black Hat knew better than to get close to Slug when the half-human lost himself to his other half. Only White Hat would get near him, even though Slug had still been digging his sharp nails into his arms. Slug recalled not being able to speak and had merely met White Hat’s worried eye with a resigned look in his own before Slug had closed his eyes.

The first time Slug had woken back in the mansion, it was to White Hat casting healing spells. Slug remembered that now. Slug briefly closed his eyes as he ran the heels of his hands against them, one main thought in his mind.

White Hat had saved him.

Again.

Slug sighed, and reluctantly opened his eyes once more, wondering if Black Hat would let slip to anyone what had happened. That Slug had attacked himself like a man possessed. Slug thought about the aftermath again, and then it all crashed back to him.

Had he...?

When he had woken the first time to White Bat healing him and reassuring him...he and White Hat had talked. One thing led to another and then they had...

...they’d had sex.

Or at least, Slug believed that they had. His memory was still a little hazy but-

“Slug?”

A certain someone shifted on the bed that Slug was lying on, and the voice cause him to freeze up.

“Are you awake?”

White Hat was on his bed? Slug’s  surroundings had finally clicked in his mind. Had they actually...?

“You are awake.” White Hat happily cuddled close to Slug’s side, sleepily nuzzling the side of Slug’s neck. “Good morning.”

Slug made a noncommittal grunt, still processing the fact that White Hat was in bed with him. And with a single subconscious shift toward the demon, Slug realized that he was naked. 

And so was White Hat.

“Why am I naked?” Slug said, narrowing his uncovered gloom blue eyes, the black dot pupils focusing on the demon. Slug kept his eyes on White Hat’s face, not willing to tempt himself at the moment until he had answers.

“What do you mean?” White Hat’s voice and face reflected sadness. “Do you mean...you do not recall last night?”

Slug gave a shake of his head, even if he had a good idea but wanted to hear the demon confirm it for him. And confirm the fact that it was Slug who had taken White Hat and not the other way around because Slug didn’t feel the least bit sore. What Slug hadn’t anticipated was for White Hat to be appalled with himself.

“How much do you remember? You were very clear in your actions so I thought you wanted me and-“ White Hat cut himself off before continuing on with a horrified look. “I...were you really...not yourself?” White Hat ducked his head before giving Slug a sheepish look. “It did feel nice, however. You were very...dominant in bed.  I had not..anticipated that.”

Slug felt that he would have remembered fucking White Hat, as the demon implied, but as White Hat had likely been healing him, Slug wasn’t surprised. White Hat’s healing magic was therapeutic and sometimes made Slug drift and act on instinct alone.

Apparently that had meant having sex that he could only vaguely recall happening.

Unacceptable.

If Slug was going to have sex, he had better damn well remember doing it, and with a willing partner, which White Hat most certainly was.

“White...” Slug noticed White Hat trying to slink out of the bed like he had done something wrong. Slug hastily reached out and caught one of the demon’s bare arms. “Oh no you don’t. Get back here.”

White Hat stopped moving but shot Slug a look of confusion.

“I could...” Slug swallowed and tightened his grip on the demon’s arm. This was it. Slug was thinking clearly and he had made his decision. He’d probably been thinking clearly with his instincts but he wanted actual memories to go with them. He wasn’t letting his Guardian half take White Hat from him.

”Slug?”

Slug felt he had made it clear that he was...willing, to have more with White Hat after the demon had helped him get through the effects of a lust spell by keeping his distance. Respecting the fact that Slug didn’t want to have sex under the effects of a spell.

Damn Soul Guardian genes, making him miss out on first time intercourse with a demon.

“Slug, What is it?” White Hat asked, sounding concerned again.

”I don’t remember much from last night but...” Slug offered a rare, genuine smile with his needle-like fangs. “I would like a repeat of what happened now that I am myself again.” Slug wouldn’t say so aloud but he quite liked the sight of a tinge of what appeared to be a blush cross White Hat’s pale face.

”I did not mean to push you last night, even though you told me that I was not.” White Hat said sincerely, as he rested a hand over Slug’s that held his upper arm.

“You aren’t pushing me.” Slug assured the demon as he tugged White Hat back into bed and closer to him. “You’ve been annoyingly persistent over the years, trying to get my attention.” Slug let go of White Hat’s arm and ran his hand along the pale skin to the demon’s shoulder. “Hoping to get me in bed with you if I accepted your advances and I was open to it.”

White Hat stuttered something incoherent but soon gave up on words as he let out a whimper instead. Especially after Slug ran his hands along both shoulder of his pale colored skin. The skin was almost as light as the white clothing that White Hat normally chose to wear.

Slug carefully watched the way White Hat reacted to his touch, and came to a conclusion almost immediately.

White Hat was touch-starved.

The tiniest touches sent tremors through the demon’s naked body, and the longer Slug traced his hands along the demon’s skin, the more White Hat turned into a puddle of goo as he sagged into Slug’s hands with another pleased sounding whimper.

The sound went right to Slug’s dick as the half-human’s hands pressed heavier against the smooth skin.

”More?” White Hat asked hopefully.

”I told you I wanted to experience what I missed out on last night.” Slug said simply as he ran his hands down White Hat’s sides, and gripped his thighs.

“Slug...” White Hat bucked at the teasing way Slug moved his hands along his thighs, getting closer to the demon’s tentacle-like cock. “You...you don’t have to...ah!”

Slug wasn’t going to waste his breath and would show with his actions that he very much wanted this right now. Slug wrapped his left hand around White Hat’s slowly waving tentacle shaft, giving the more rigid appendage a once over. Then, Slug began to slide his hand teasingly along the shaft, getting White Hat to focus on the moment he was making.  Once he had White Hat pressing needingly into his touch, Slug traced a few fingers of his right hand along the slit beneath the tentacle cock.

White Hat breathlessly and rather eagerly pressed into the searching touch. It was clear from some of the restraint he held that the demon was a tad embarrassed over the way that Slug was giving him pleasure instead of vice versa.

Slug found this hard to ignore and felt spurred on to make the demon enjoy his touch. It wasn’t like Slug remembered if he had down a good job before. Slug ran his hand along White Hat’s tentacle shaft, getting the cock slick from the pre-cum. Slug took some of the slick that was produced and without preamble ran two fingers heavily against the slit, before he slid his fingers inside.

White Hat didn’t seem to mind the slightly tough manner in which Slug was fingering him and in fact spread his legs to give Slug easier access, a low rumbling purr starting up. 

The sounds White Hat made in addition to the purring was quick to get Slug hot and bothered, until the demon opened his mouth again.

”Are you certain you are fine with this?” White Hat let out a funny sound when Slug pressed three fingers deep into his slit and gave the demon’s cock a squeeze.

“Stop worrying about me, White Hat.” Slug pinned White Hat with an exasperated look. “You’ve kept me around even if I’m not always the best company. I’ve tried to stay away from you but over the years, I’ve found it difficult to keep my distance from you.” 

“You...you said something similar after we kissed that one night. After you had recovered from the lust spell.” White Hat said quietly as he met Slug’s gaze.

Slug said nothing as he resumed fingering White Hat’s slit, pleased when that got the demon to shut up and just feel what Slug felt. He wasn’t very good with words when it came to relationships and believed that White Hat would be very blunt about how he felt. Slug smiled to himself when White Hat finally sat up and dug his hands into Slug’s hair.

Slug was not certain what it would take to get White Hat to come, and after a few more squeezes and strokes to White Hat’s tentacle shaft, Slug foucused on the slit and absently stroked himself as he removed his fingers from White Hat’s body.

White Hat let go of Slug and laid himself out on the bed, but let out a yelp of surprise when Slug leaned over and took the tip of White Hat’s tentacle cock into his mouth and sucked, causing White Hat to buck surprise again. The moment White Hat fell into the touch, Slug’s lips curled and he pulled off as he went straight for the slit, using the pre-cum he’d gathered in his mouth to press against and into the slit with his tongue.

White Hat made a strange keening sound as his taloned feet twitched on either side of Slug.

One of Slug’s hands joined his tongue as he made sure to drive White Hat up a metaphorical wall. When Slug’s mouth left the slit and he pressed three fingers back in, he decided that it was lose enough to allow his cock in. 

White Hat’s breathing became labored as if he hadn’t expected Slug to go down on him in such a way.

Slug wasn’t done with the demon yet. Slug used the slippery substance that had begun to leak out of the slit to slick himself up, after confirming it was merely similar to what White Hat’s shaft was leaking. Slug pressed the head of his cock against the slit to get the demon’s attention.

White Hat gripped the sheets beneath him with both hands and taloned feet as he issued out a thin, needy whine.

Touch starved and sex deprived.

Slug licked his lips, causing White Hat’s head to drop back on the bed. Slug could satisfy both of those needs right now.  As Slug pressed in and heard a low, happy sigh, he wondered over what he had done to the demon. What had felt good to White Hat. As Slug bottomed out, and gave an experimental thrust that had White Hat let out a low growl in return, Slug figured he would find out. Gripping White Hat’s thighs and digging in lightly with his sharp nails, Slug offered a faint, pointy-toothed smile, and drew out of the slit almost all of the way before slamming back in with a snap of his hips.

White Hat let out a pleasured hiss, jerking against the bed. 

Slug could tell, as he fucked White Hat at a sharp pace, that it was difficult for the demon to let Slug set the pace. As quiet thanks for allowing the control to be in his hands, Slug sunk into White Hat over and over, loving the sounds the demon made as he was fucked. Slug wraped a hand around White Hat’s tentacle shaft and as he drew out and thrust back in, Slug gave the demon’s cock a strong stroke and squeeze, finger digging beneath what appear to be the head of it.

“S-slug...” White Hat’s clawed fingers dug into the sheets, tearing the fabric. “Harder...please...”

“I think I like it when you beg.” Slug breathed out, but did as asked, burying himself deep into White Hat’s slit with each thrust.

Claws went from scrabbling against the sheets to holding Slug’s shoulders, but White Hat held himself together enough that he refrained from digging those claws into Slug.

Slug couldn’t keep up the hard pace he had set and soon, he gave one final thrust. Unbidden, Slug leaned over and bit White Hat before he came. White Hat let out a small cry of surprise from the bite as he came too, his slit clamping down against Slug’s cock, holding them together.  Slug finally let out a moan over the sensation and settled against White Hat’s chest.

A short, companionable silence followed until Slug’s mind came back online.

“Why can’t I pull out?”

“Hmm, it should loosen soon.” White Hat sighed, sated. “At least, it should. Not sure how long it will take. You pulled out last night.” White Hat rolled them carefully onto their sides and ran his hands carefully along Slug’s back, where he bumped into something. “What is this on your back? Spines? Quills?”

”Another Soul Guardian characteristic.” Slug said quietly. Another reminder that he wasn’t as human as he would have liked. “Smaller versions of them, anyway. I have a small crest of soft pines that go from the back of my head to above my tailbone, with translucent webbing in between each one.” Slug waved a hand over his shoulder. “There are two smaller rows of longer spines, about five on either side of my shoulder blades to my lower back. I think they were meant to be wings at one point.” Not that Slug cared enough to see since he tried so hard to deny his non-human half.

“Let me see when we part?” White Hat asked as he moved his hands back up to tangle in Slug's hair. 

“If you want.” Slug didn’t particularly care one way or another, and it wasn’t like White Hat was going to belittle him about his appearance. Another nice thing about being around the demon in white.

Some minutes later, Slug found that he could slip out of White Hat’s slit and he did so with a faint, pleasurable shiver. With a light sigh, Slug turned over and settled on his stomach alongside White Hat. Slug shivered involuntarily as White Hat inspected the soft, flexable spines on his back. Slug hid a smile over the way the demon gasped as Slug flexed the spines of the crest to show off thin membrane between them.

“Can you move the ones attached to your shoulder blades and lower back?” White Hat asked, sounding intrigued. 

Slug flexed them in a flutter of longer spines and then lay everything flat as he settled on his side, suddenly self-conscious and being pissed off over that fact.

“I don’t recall seeing those spines when I met you all those years ago.” White Hat said softly.

“That’s because they hadn’t developed yet.” Slug took a breath and let it out as he felt White Hat caress the flattened spines of his crest. “Around two years ago, the Soul Guardians brought me to their medical facility because I was told it was taking too long and that they had forced the growth of the spines. They did so in order to prevent the spines from breaking skin and bones.” Slug couldn’t hold back a shudder. “It could have caused permanent damage and unfortunately, as much as I would like the crest if spines gone, I can’t have them removed because they are attached to my spine, and the tendons are attached to other muscles in my body to allow movement.”

”I know you don’t like the Soul Gurdians but I am glad you let them help you when it came to your Guardian half.”

Slug swallowed back the comment of the doctors causing him more pain than was necessary in the process and allowed White Hat to press against his sweat soaked body. Sighing, Slug grudgingly accepted the nuzzles that White Hat began to give him, as if sensing that something was amiss but didn’t want to press for details. 

“I am sorry that the process caused you pain.” White Hat said.

Slug didn’t ask how the demon knew. He didn’t want to know.

“Why do the other Guardians not show their appendages? It seems like it would be difficult to keep them those spines flattened all the time, even if they are soft and flexable.”

Slug had a hypothesis as to why but he found that he was drowsy and not up for a conversation at present. Slug let out a low sigh and closed his eyes, pressing his body close against White Hat’s.

“You can sleep, Slug.” White Hat murmured against his shoulder. “You are safe here with me.” 

For once, Slug believed him.

-x-x-x-

Months went by, both White Hat and Slug doing their jobs, while also spending quiet moments in and out of the bedroom with one another, taking turns pleasuring one another. Everything was going well, until one day it wasn’t, and it was all because Slug had lost control of his Guardian half in tug worst place possible, even after trying his damndest to keep control.

Four months after Black Hat had caused Slug’s guardian half to attack his own body, Slug blacked out in the Soul Guardian’s church where he worked with no warning whatsoever.

One moment he was speaking to the Soul Guardians and a few humans that had gathered, the next, he was in White Hat’s mansion. 

That meant only one thing.

White Hat had gotten to him before the Soul Guardiabs decided to finish what his own body had started. And judging from the bandages, it had been bad.  Skug stared quietly ar the bandages, the knowledge that he had been treated by White Hat a small comfort in what was a very bad situation. Slug could sense the lingering effects of magic beneath the bandages on his arms and around his neck.

Slug squeezed his eyes shut tight beneath the goggles he still wore, grinding his teeth together. His body must have really damaged itself badly to still have bandages. It meant that it would take multiple sessions of healing spells to fix.

Logic told Slug that due to the state he was in, it must have been very bloody and therefore terrifying to witness him lose control in the church. Likely with no warning, which Slug felt was worse.

Why hadn’t he been outright killed at the display he had put on? Was it because of White Hat that Slug was still breathing?

Slug considered remaining in bed but even as worn out as he was, he was determined to go and find White Hat. Whether to reassure himself or reassure the demon, who had likely come to the church to collect him, when no one else would likely dare to come near him in his state. All those in the church had likely thought he had been possessed.

In a way, he had been. Slug had lost control of his own body, despite his repeated and confident assurances to White Hat that he had it under control. Clearly, he didn’t and Slug had a feeling he was not going to be allowed back to the church. Knew it deep inside, from the horrified screams he had heard before he’d blacked out to his Soul Guardian half.Slug shook the troubling thought aside and went in search of White Hat before he could change his mind.

As he walked along the hall, Slug silently noted the fact that there were not any Soul Guardians lurking around the mansion today. It was...unnerving, to say the least, but Slug continued on his way until he reached the door to White Hat’s room and knocked on the door.

“You are welcome to come inside, Slug.” White Hat’s voice was warm yet a worried tone lie beneath it.

Slug enreted the room and closed the door behind him, only to tense up at the demon’s next words.

“We need to talk.” White Hat caught sight of Slug’s wary expression and sighed. “I know you are confused but you need to listen to me. The Soul Guardians are in a flurry of activity right now after many people witnessed you hurt yourself in the church.” White Hat huddled on his bed, looking as worn out as Slug felt. “It sounds like Veiko and the others do not want you to return to the church. They seem to think your human half is the problem. They do not want you to put any of them or the few humans that frequent that church in harms’ way.” 

Slug wasn’t able to pick up White Hat’s opinion on the matter. Slug settled for observing White Hat as he processed the information given to him, and stared at the demon.

White Hat was in the middle of the bed, surrounded by blankets, pillows and clothes in what appeared to be a makeshift nest.

“What are you up to?” Slug questioned, deciding that he didn’t give a shit what the Soul Guardians thought of his blackout.

“I’m going to lay an egg in about three months time.” White Hat admitted sheepishly, as if he hadn’t wanted to announce this while giving Slug bad need about his job. “I wanted to tell you sooner but...”

”What.” The idea that he could no longer be a priest was the least of Slug’s concerns when White Hat causally dropped the egg comment. The half-human approached the bed as he removed his goggles and tossed them on a nearby chair. “You lie. We can’t possibly be biologically compatible, since we are both male. And besides, what the hell would a baby with both our genetics even look like? I would not wish any of my Soul Guardian genes on anyone, especially not a child.”

“Slug...you do realize that the reason I have that slit beneath my shaft is for when there are no females around and I want to procreate. One of the mates would need to be able to carry an egg and-“

”White Hat, stop talking.” Slug’s hands reaches up and dug into his hair. Slug quietly went through the implications of what White Hat had told him and then resigned himself to the fact that the demon had no reason to lie to him.  “You want a child?” It was the only thing that Slug could think to ask.

”I had not thought about it before but if it is you, then yes, I like the idea of having offspring with you.” White Hat burrowed in the soft material all around him and offered a beaming smile. “Want to feel the egg?”

White Hat’s happy smile made Slug gave in and go with the madness that was his life now. And as was per usual, White Hat was the only constant, unchanging being in his life. Slug crossed the room and slid onto the bed, until he was pressed against White Hat’s side.

Slug could all but hear the low rumble of pleasure from White Hat’s chest. Slug hesitantly rested his hand over the very faint bump of what was indeed an egg of some sort and traced it, very perplexed. Slug’s scientific mind went haywire trying to figure out how it was possible and he frowned a bit when White Hat wrapped an arm over his waist to cuddle him close. 

“Do not overthink it. My kind just reproduces differently than other beings. Leave it at that.”

Slug had many questions but since he was still recovering from self-inflicted injuries, he closed his eyes. Slug heard White Hat murmuring healing spells as he dozed off alongside the demon amidst the nest of soft bedding.

-x-x-x-

When White Hat woke up, he found that he was alone. Thinking that Slug had perhaps gone to get breakfast, White Hat dressed from his half clothed appearance and went to go to look for the half-human. But Slug wasn’t there in the kitchen. Wherever White Hat looked in the mansion, he found no sign of Slug. Growing worried, White Hat was about to leave the mansion entirely when he heard a commotion going on in the basement.

White Hat took the stairs that went to the basement and at the bottom of the stairs, saw many Soul Guardians and a few Reavers milling around. There was a door at the far end of the hall that White Hat did not recall being there on his many rounds of the mansion. Despite those gathered around him trying to keep him away, White Hat passed by them all with ease and opened the door. The demon went rigid at the sight that greeted him.

There was a single moment to process the scene before fury overtook White Hat. 

Slug was lying facedown on a metal table and a few Reavers surrounded him. Two of them were in the process of tearing out the long spines of the half formed wings from Slug’s shoulder blades at the direction of a Soul Guardian. Blood pooled on and around the table Slug lie on, but that wasn't the worst part.

The worst thing was that Slug made no sound and held eerily still on the table, jerking only now and again as his body was mutilated. Slug didn’t seem to be capable of moving on his own right now.

It was then that White Hat scented drugs in the air and heard a faint, distressed whimper issue out of Slug as the final spine that had been his wings was taken out. Nothing had been done to stem the flow of blood from the jagged tears, leaving drips of flesh and tiny bits of bone sticking out.

Just as the Reavers made as if to start to rip out the crest of spines down, White Hat was there and lashing out with his claws that had long since sprang out of his gloves, sending the Reavers and any foolish Soul Guardian in range away from the half-human. White Hat hefted Slug off the table and brought him against his chest, heedless of the blood that soaked the fabric. The demon in white retreated to a corner of the room and bared his fangs as pale tentacles sprang from his back to curve protectively around Slug. Already White Hat started to use healing spells, fingers slipping against the blood trailing down Slug’s back.

The Reavers in the room conversed in low tones with the Soul Gurdians that were present, their eyes fixed on Ahite Hat even in conversation.

“What the hell is going on?” White Hat demanded, barely managing to contain his anger so that he could speak. “Why are you maiming him?”

”Slug has been conducting illegal research that he has been told time and again not to pursue.” One of the Soul Gurdians began.

“He knew the risk of continuing the line of research that he would lose use of his wings if he was discovered.” Another Soul Guardian added. “This is his last warning to stop the scope of his research or face death. We have banned him from working as a priest and have just finished destroyed the research in this laboratory.”

“Labratory? What are you taking about?” White Hat held Slug close to his body as he looked around. He now saw what his surroundings were and hadn’t had any idea it was in his home. The genuine confusion helped more than White Hat would have imagined.

“The half-breed never told you about this place?”

White Hat gave a shake of his head, looking around at the now destroyed equipment in the room. The moment he took his eyes off to take a better look was the moment both the Revears and some Soul Gurdians sprang at him to attack.

White Hat let out a dangerous growl as he grappled with some of the Reavers before he let out a demonic shiek of fury when Slug is forcefully pulled out of his hands. Before White Hat could go after him, a spell hit him right in the chest, causing his body to seize up.

A binding spell.

White Hat clenched his fangs as he fought the spell, and while he was distracted, he was none too gently pinned to the ground. White Hat’s struggles lessened as his body the spell took effect. The moment the spell settled into his body, the fight left White Hat entirely, since he knew that it was useless to fight the spell. He would have to wait for it to wear off. Chest rising and falling rapidly against the floor, White Hat hissed weakly as two Reavers lifted him up to his knees, holding either of his arms to keep him upright.

“Nothing that happened in this basement lab gets out, demon. Nothing.” One of the Soul Guardians crouched in front of White Hat. “In three months time, if everything is the same as before, the half-breed will be returned to you.”

“Leave the spines along his back alone. You could have killed him if you attempted to remove them all.” White Hat fought to keep his head up. “You have those spines too, do you not? They are attached to nerves and the spine itself!”

The Soul Guardian rose from his crouch and retreated a distance to consult with another one in low tones, before they both turned to White Hat.

“His crest will be left alone.“ One of the Soul Guardians stated. 

“But this is an interesting turn of events.” The second Soul Guardian commented with a thoughtful look. “I don’t think any of us realized that the half breed meant anything to you.”

“It would be useful to mention this to  Veiko and the others. To let them know that it would be useful to keep such a powerful being in check by holding onto someone he has an interest in, should future problems arise.”

White Hat was silent, angry and scared for Slug as a sick feeling settledinto his gut.

No...what had he done?

“In three months time, you are to come to the road that leads from your mansion to the city.” Glowing blue eyes seemed to bore into White Hat’s single eye. “Understood?”

“I...” White Hat chanced a glance at Slug’s now unconscious and still bleeding form, before his shoulders slumped and White Hat spoke through clenched teeth. “I understand.”

“One of the avian Reavers will let you know when to come get the half-breed.” 

White Hat was confused by those words and it was only when he was left alone in the ruined lab that something occurred to him.

No.

They wouldn't. They _couldn’t_.

...would they?

When the spell lifted off of him and White Hat was able to move once more, the demon raced upstairs and went straight to the front door, his thoughts whirling with concern for Slug.

Zzzzt!

White Hat let out a sharp cry of surprise as he ran into a barrier that had been placed on the door.

White Hat stumbled back, holding his right hand, and realized in an instant that he was being prevented from leaving his own home. From doing anything other that what he always did in his home. Search for humans in the workd, and let the Soul Guardians know if he found anything.

Among other tasks. 

White Hat let out a furious demonic shriek reminiscent of Black Hat’s and threw himself at the door over and over, tearing his claws against it despite the pain it cause him until he nearly wore himself out. He did this to every door and wall in the mansion but found no give. 

White Hat was well and truly trapped.

A phone rang amid the snarling just as White Hat had braced himself for another round. The demon answered the phone reluctantly, anger and confusion racing through him.

‘ _We have decided that it would be in everyone’s best interests to keep you confined to your mansion.  We do need your help, after all.’_ The voice on the other end of the line was cold and uncaring _. ‘Three months, demon. Keep everything the same as it has always been and you'll get your half breed back.’_

The phone line went dead.

White Hat hung up the phone with a shaky hand, before he slowly slid to the floor. Actual tears pricked at the corners of his eyes.

Tears.

White Hat squeezed his eyes shut as he let out an unhappy growl.

Slug.

White Hat was a fool, just like Black Hat had called him all those years ago.

Black Hat didn’t trust the Soul Guardians and had always been delighted to say that he looked forward to the day that White Hat realized his error in trusting the other beings.

Slug.

White Hat opened his eyes, a hand slowly going to rest over his lower abdomen to trace his fingers along the indentation of the egg. White Hat was going to have to hide the fact that he was going to have an egg when he went to retrieve Slug. He would have to. If the Soul Guardians had been lying to White Hat and hiding their true intentions all these years...then he couldn’t let them know he and Slug had had sex.  Couldn’t let them know that they were biologically compatible.

The Soul Guardians disliked Slug. They had tolerated him at White Hat’s insistence but after Slug had blacked out in full view of the public, it appeared as if their tolerance was now gone.

As White Hat wandered the empty halls and rooms of his mansion, he wondered exactly what kind of research Slug had been conducting that would have made the Soul Guardians act as they had.  Perhaps White Hat could ask once Slug was back in his arms.

Three months.

White Hat could wait. He would be patient, and could only hope that Slug would understand why he hadn’t gone to retrieve him immediately.

-x-x-x-

White Hat thought he would be able to handle being apart from Slug but it was so much worse than he had anticipated. The Soul Guardians were lucky they had decided to trap him in the mansion, otherwise White Hat would have torn the building apart sooner to go help Slug.

Those three months were utter agony.

The loneliness cut deeper than it used to years ago. White Hats life had been different in some ways before finding the half-human. Before finding Slug in that prison and taking him out of it. At first, White Hat had taken Slug in two out of interest in him being half-human, until that had changed the longer White Hat was around Slug. Now, these last few years, White Hat enjoyed being around Slug not for the fact that he was half-human, but for being able to converse and be around who Slug was as a person. The silence that White Hat used to enjoy was now unbearable when it wasn’t cut in to by a wry, sarcastic remark from Slug.

White Hat felt he might go mad but every time he wanted to stray from his daily activities, he remembered the egg that had been steadily growing. White Hat knew that he couldn’t do anything that might endanger his offspring or Slug. Unfortunately, White Hat had a feeling that the Soul Guardians weren’t being particularly kind to Slug and didn’t want to make things worse for his mate...

White Hat buried his face in his hands at the thought, a tiny blush crossing his face. White Hat could only imagine what Slug’s expression would be if he were to tell that to him. It would likely be denial and exasperation and then the fondness would creep in to his expression when Slug thought that White Hat wasn’t looking.

Three months.

White Hat took a breath and let it out.

Three months slipped by in an agonizingly slow fashion, and by the time it was over, White Hat was on pins and needles waiting for the knock on the front door to the mansion. It was nerve racking but White Hat was able to get himself ready the morning he knew that he would be getting Slug back. White Hat had played the Soul Guardians’ games, and they would hold up their end of the bargain.

But first, White Hat needed to find some clothing that hid the fact that his abdomen was protruding and showing off what was obviously an egg. But since he didn’t have all that much to choose from, White Hat went for layering and draping a scarf over his shoulders. White Hat looked at himself in the mirror and decided that while it looked rather foolish to be so bundled up, it hid the fact he had a rather sizable egg in him.

When an avian Reaver knocked on the front door of the mansion, White Hat was ready to be led to the agreed upon meeting spot.

It was along walk, making White Hat ridiculously fidgety and nervous. White Hat’s urge to attack and protect his mate rose when he saw the gathered Soul Guardians and Reavers waiting for him.  But the moment he saw Slug all desire to start a fight left him. Especially when Slug was shoved almost immediately toward him, and White Hat got to see up close how ragged the half-human was.

Slug was shirtless with bandages around his torso and some on his arms. His expression, not covered by a bag (which he wore sometimes to spite Flug) or goggles (to hide his damn glowing eyes), reflected a weariness and resignation that seemed uncharacteristic to the man.  White Hat felt unnerved because this silent, withdrawn man was nothing like how Slug had acted when White Hat had  met him in prison. This wasn’t the same person that White Hat had come to know.

What...what had they done to him?

”Everything will remain the same, White Hat.” One of the Soul Guardians stated. “But keep that half-breed in the mansion and out of a lab. If we see him out of the mansion or conducting research in any way, including banned topics, we will be forced to act.”

“Understood.” White Hat said stiffly, as he turned away from the other beings and led Slug away. When they were a few minutes out from the mansion, White Hat draped the scarf around Slug’s shoulders and spoke softly. “I am sorry I was unable to come sooner. They had trapped me in the mansion the day they took you away from me.”

Slug stared straight ahead but reached up with a hand to tightly grip the scarf around his neck.

“I am so sorry.” White Hat said again in a barely-there whisper. “Please forgive me for being unable to protect you.”

Slug held the scarf tighter and after a faint hesitation, leaned into White Hat’s side as they neared the mansion.

Entering the mansion was a quiet affair, all the way to White Hat’s bedroom, where Slug silently broke away from the demon’s side to disappear into the bathroom.

White Hat busied himself by removing layers of clothes until he was down to some pants and a baggy dress shirt that he left unbuttoned. He located some pants and boxers and a shirt for Slug, knowing that he was going to go shower. Slug looked like he’d needed it, with the way his hair was matted and his pants were ragged and dirty. White Hat waited patiently and soon, Slug emerged from the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist, his shaggy hair damp and dripping like he couldn’t be bothered to dry it. 

Oddly enough, Slug ignored the clothes on the bed and collapsed on the mattress, the spines of his crest from the back of his head to above his lower back drooping.

White Hat carefully manuvered himself onto the bed alongside him, and lie on his side, grimacing over the egg shifting inside of him, and felt a jolt of shock when it moved again.

The egg wanted out now? It was happening a few days sooner than anticipated.

White Hat bit back an uncomfortable groan but Slug heard him, and seemed to gain some life to him when his spines rose a little and he turned over to stare at White Hat.

“Need my pants off.” White Hat tired to pull them off but his fingers were slipping. “The egg...”

“Wait... the egg is coming out now?!” Slug seemed to snap out of fugue he was in and cursed in aggravation, showing White Hat that he want completely gone. “What the hell were you doing out of the mansion you’re laying it now?”

“To get you away from the Soul Guardians.” White Hat said worriedly as he struggled with the pants and winced. The egg wasn’t waiting. “They threatened you before and I did not want to see what would happen if I did not show up to retrieve you today.” 

“You should have killed them.” Slug said flatly, even as he helped White Hat remove his pants, somehow managing to keep the towel around his waist. That accomplished, Slug absently began to assist White Hat’s pale tentacles make a nest of blankets around them.

“You would have died and I would be alone. And our offspring would never have known you.” White Hat smiled at Slug when he saw understanding in the other’s eyes. 

“They kept me in a cell. Nothing happened.” Slug rolled his shoulders in a shrug. “Not that I can remember, anyway. I was kept sedated. And while we were waiting for you...I was doing my best to not show any aggression.  Apparently they feared me attacking myself again. Or one of them, since I was near them and bit behind bars.”

White Hat as about to ask something more when he let out a groan and lie down on the bed heavily.

”Up.” Slug said firmly as he arranged pillows behind White Hat and propped him up. “How is the egg going to...?” Slug fell silent as his face went blank as if just realizing something. “I...White Hat, I can’t feel my wings. My crest is fine, I can flex the spines there but-“

 “It’s coming.” White Hat interrupted with an apologetic look.

“Now? Just like that?!” Slug cursed but White Hat refused to let him get too close as the demon snarled and growled out in an unfamiliar language. A minute later, Slug watched incredulously as a pure white egg with swirls of silver and blue became visible from under the sheets. “What the fuck, White Hat? How did that come out of you?  That egg is at least 8 inches tall and I know that that slit of yours was not-!”

“It is out, so does it really matter how?” White Hat shifted on the bed and moved the sheet so he could arrange the egg close to his chest. Smiling at the perplexed look on Slug’s face, he held out a hand and urged the half-human closer.  “Everything will be fine, Slug.”

Slug allowed a slow, searching kiss before he ran a curious hand over the white, silver and blue egg.

“Slug...” White Hat caught sight of Slug’s back twitching, as if he were trying to flex half-formed wings that were no longer there, and broke the bad news. “When I found you in the basement, I saw a Soul Guardian directing a Reaver to rip the spines of your wings out.” White Hat ran a hand over Slug’s bare shoulder to the bandages as he slumped against the blankets near the egg. The demon’s expression saddened at the pain in Slug’s eyes that he was trying to hide. “They almost did the same to the spines of your crest but I stopped them before they could.”

“Then they intended to kill me.” Slug scooted closer to White Hat’s body, careful of the egg as he closed his eyes and pressed his face against White Hat’s neck.

The egg slid down to be between their stomachs, and White Hat ran a hand over it carefully.

”They did not mange to hurt you further because I stopped them but....” White Hat’s hand stilled on the egg, “But I may have given away too much about what is between us and-“

”They used me to keep you in line.” Slug sighed. “You know they will do so again if they think they can’t control you to their liking.”

White Hat worriedly drew his mate to him to try and comfort him. Because that was what Slug was to him now these past few months. His mate. And from the white, silver and blue egg, their offspring would hatch in a months’ time, so long as everything went well.

“Please get some rest. I doubt you had any good nights away from here.” White Hat pressed a kiss to Slug’s cheek. “We will get through this.” White Hat sent healing magic against Slug’s back, beneath the bandages and when Slug began to doze off, spread the magic throughout Slug’s body in an effort to relax him. As White Hat watched Slug fall asleep, and sensed the life within the egg between them, White Hat made the conscious decision to play along with the Soul Guardians and their games, for now.

Slug issued out another faint whimper, again an uncharacteristic sound to expect to hear from the man.

White Hat’s eye narrowed as he curled himself snugly around Slug and their egg, the demon’s lip curling up into a silent snarl over Slug’s continued distress. White Hat’s patience could only be stretched so far before it snapped.

If those Soul Guardians dared to touch Slug again, or their soon to be born offspring, then those foolish beings would discover that White Hat could be just as terrifying as Black Hat. 


End file.
